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The New Orleans Saints didn’t retain Pete Carmichael just for the sake of it. Keeping an established offensive coordinator on the roster speaks volumes about their vision for 2022 — and the move carries serious implications for both of their top two quarterbacks, including free agent-to-be Jameis Winston and banged-up dynamo Taysom Hill.
Let’s start with Winston. He first signed with the Saints (on a contract well beneath his market value) explicitly for the experience of being coached up by Sean Payton while working with Drew Brees. Neither Payton nor Brees are around anymore, but Carmichael is. He’s put in extensive time with Carmichael in mastering the offense and ironing out the flaws in his game, and that familiarity should go a long way in convincing Winston to stay.
But let’s not kid ourselves: he’ll have options. There will be a plethora of quarterback-needy teams across the league moving on from underperforming starters, ranging from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts to the Denver Broncos and Washington Commanders. Maybe teams in less-certain conditions like the Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers give Winston a call. How unrealistic is it for him to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, by the way?
The point is that Winston is going to be in a better spot to get paid starter’s money with a stronger supporting cast than the Saints can offer him. If they do want to re-sign him, they can pitch him on a familiar play caller in Carmichael and a willingness to invest in better weapons and protection for him. It’s a more compelling argument than it would be if the Saints were starting over fresh with a new offensive coordinator installing their own system. And maybe it’s exactly what Winston is looking for.
Now let’s talk about Hill. One of Payton’s last acts as Saints head coach was to make sure his favorite player got paid, signing Hill to a multiyear contract extension. He’s got a $12.3 million cap hit this season. If the Saints had brought in a new coordinator who didn’t want Hill to be part of their plans, the Saints could designate him a post-June 1 cut and get $10.1 million back in savings later this summer.
But it doesn’t feel like that will be the case with Carmichael. He’s been part of the process with Hill every step of the way. When Payton first began rolling out Hill-heavy personnel packages, Carmichael was working with them behind the scenes to see why the player enticed Payton so strongly. And when Hill worked his way into the training camp quarterback competition with Winston, he helped coach them both up. After Hill was named the starter late in the 2021 season, Carmichael was there crafting game plans and even calling plays in Hill’s road win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (a game Payton missed while in COVID-19 protocol).
So it stands to reason that Hill will remain in the plans for New Orleans now that Carmichael is calling plays full-time, and his contract is readymade for a restructure that would save more than $7.2 million against the cap. But Hill’s specific role is a mystery. Will Carmichael be as eager to throw him in a quarterback competition as Payton was? Or does he view Hill as more of a position-flexible player who can run routes and throw blocks, which is where his Saints career really took off?
Either way, Hill’s immediate future with the team feels safe. He’s just got to remain healthy. The list of injuries he racked up in 2021 are alarming: he’s currently recovering from Lisfranc foot surgery, having dealt with a torn ligament in his throwing hand, plantar fascia in his other foot, plus a month-long absence managing symptoms from a serious concussion. He’s a warrior, but his style of play has a cost. What is Carmichael’s vision for getting the most out of Hill while not jeopardizing his health? Would he be better protected as a quarterback? And if so, would he be a candidate to start or just an expensive backup?
It’s absolutely a trope to say this, but there are more questions than answers right now. As would be the case with any other coach, though, we won’t get many answers until players hit the practice field in the spring. At least with the Saints hiring a known quantity we know exactly which questions to ask about Carmichael and his quarterbacks. That helps illustrate a road map for what comes next. Let’s see where it takes us.
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